I know this ruffles some feathers, but I just can't help myself. Most folks on this site know the incredible history of both watches, so I won't recount the origins in detail because there are much better summaries. However, there are a few things that really stand out to me and keep me from ever falling in love with a Daytona.

1. The history: the Daytona has "Cosmograph" printed on it because the early Rolexes had a moonphase and a calendar function, neither are things that the modern Daytona even utilizes! Moreover, the "Cosmograph" term evokes the concept of cosmonauts and space, which the Omega Speedmaster clearly dominates that entire discussion. We all know the Daytona was originally passed over by NASA who ultimately selected the Speedmaster to make history. Yet Rolex keeps the "Cosmograph" label on the Daytona to this day, because ....???

2. The modern 3861 and especially the recent remake of the 321 have exhibition casebacks to appreciate the beautiful movements. Daytonas have a closed back which is just inferior in my opinion (the platinum Daytona notwithstanding, but I suppose it ought to have something special about it for that price beyond simply using platinum).
Boring:


Beautiful:



3. The Daytona is not self-consistent in the 9 o'clock subdial. The subdial has the numbers with their bottom edge on the inner track of the subdial. Except for the 6! I know about the whole "inverted 6" stuff back when Zenith movements were used. I don't care. This is just bad design to me, and offends the beautiful symmetry that could have been. For clarity, I drew what "would be" self-consistent. Of course, that would be probably confusing for too many people.


4. The Daytona doesn't use lume on the chronograph hand. The Speedmaster does. Now I understand that it's rare that you need to time anything while in the dark, but still. It's the little things that matter and the Speedmaster gets that one right as well.

5. Screw down pushers are awfully bulky and slow you down: If you actually want to use your chronograph, then having to unscrew the pushers is annoying. I'll make an exception for people who want to swim/dive with their watch, because a screw down pusher makes sense in that case. But I don't think anyone would consider the Daytona a dive watch, go get a Seamaster or a Submariner. The Speedmaster and the Daytona were originally racing watches with chronographs used for timing laps on a track. Hard to imagine some race car driver at the Daytona taking the time to unscrew his pushers while driving around the track. The Daytona is not consistent with it's own history!

The Speedmaster is objectively the superior watch. I won't even mention the cultural differences, marketing differences, or financial differences. Those are outside the scope of the watch itself.

End of rant. Thank you for reading.

 

They're both great watches and work well together in a collection. One is not better than the other. Stop the fanboyism!!

 

I have a feeling that deep inside you actually want the daytona

 

I think a Rolex vs Omega thread would be a great idea! We could finally prove to all that Rolexes are way better.

VS

Ok. I am going back to my football games and my watches. Will check results later.

My watches…

 

@Duracuir1 But you can mow the lawn whilst wearing either…..back to watching The Good Doctor for me.

 

You completely forgot to mention that the Speedy Pro is far superior simply because of the readability of the dial.
It literally wipes the floor with the Daytona in that regard alone.
Then there's the issue of service, as I'm confident that it would be easier to find a good independent watchmaker to service or repair the Omega to a good standard.
It's a strap monster as well

 

Both are excellent but one is better!

 

I want to like the Daytona I just can't get over the points I laid out above. Daytona definitely superior from a resale perspective, but I'm never gonna sell my watches so it doesn't matter to me.

 

Been there done that…
https://omegaforums.net/threads/rolex-vs-omega-2022.139320/
https://omegaforums.net/threads/rolex-vs-omega.153365/
https://omegaforums.net/threads/showdown-omega-v-rolex.76097/
https://omegaforums.net/threads/omega-or-rolex.116770/

 

Finally, PROOF that Omega is superior.

Oh, but wait. Daytona is automatic and Speedmaster is only hand-winding. And the Daytona has a 10 bar depth rating while Speedmaster is only 5 bar.

Perhaps there was some selection bias in the OP.

 

This should probably be published.

 

That's a really good point, I entirely overlooked the manual vs automatic aspect. That's very important for a lot of people. I personally enjoy winding a watch, but I can see the perspective of those who prefer an automatic. Sadly the automatic rotors always obscure am exhibition caseback, but I guess that doesn't matter on the Daytona.

The 10 bar vs 5 bar is immaterial unless you swim with it. I guess someone could do that, but I'd prefer a dive watch like Seamaster or Submariner or whatever instead.
Hard to imagine making the decision between a Speedmaster and a Daytona based on the acceptable depth in water. I think the automatic vs manual wind is a more important difference, which is personal preference.

 

So you think that water resistance is immaterial, but someone is going to make the decision between the two watches based on the orientation of the "6" in the subdial.

A truly water-resistant chronograph, with screwdown pushers for insurance, may not be important to you. But it's a real and fairly uncommon feature that is much more significant than a minor printing choice, the name of the watch, or lume in the sweep hand.

That said. I don't like Daytonas.

 

Can you add this one to your analysis?

 

Hand to God, the orientation of the "6" is enough to put me off of a Daytona. But I'll readily admit that I'm oddly sensitive to stuff like that. But water resistance is water resistance unless you go deep diving. Both watches are equally water resistant in any normal swimming pool or aquatic activity. 5bar water depth is equivalent to 50 meters, or approximately 150 feet. Both watches are equivalently water resistant unless you're diving beyond 150ft, which is a really deep dive. Not to mention, if you actually do dive that deep, it's dark down there! Might need that extra lume on the chronograph seconds hand ha!

 

I think you are missing the reason for a screw-down crown and pushers.

And while you apparently think that a Speedmaster is sufficiently water resistant for your personal use, many people would prefer a more water resistant watch for swimming and other water activities.

You started by saying that you had "proof" of something, but all I see is extremely personal and subjective opinions. That said, you've successfully trolled me into several responses.

 

Several years ago, I sold my Daytona model 6263 for 26 times what I paid for it after owning it for 30 years. And I suspect it was later re-sold for quite a bit more than what I got for it! That doesn’t necessarily make it better than a Speedmaster. I own a Speedmaster 345.0808, and have had it for 35 years. I’d be lucky to sell it for 4 times what I paid for it, and I got it at dealer cost!

Edited to correct the “26 times”. I sold it for 28 times what I paid for it!

 

I think that we need emergency cat photos before this gets out of hand and civil war erupts.

 

No. Just two great members in a spirited exchange. If they weren’t a half a World apart, they would sit down and have a Whiskey / Whisky.

 

I’d still rather have a Daytona. It never went to space.